Emmaus Life Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB: EMMA), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company and leader in the treatment of sickle cell disease, today announced that it has entered into an exclusive option agreement with Cedars-Sinai to continue investigating the clinical utility of L-glutamine oral powder in combination with chemotherapy, as a potential treatment for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC).
The continuing research seeks to evaluate the efficacy and safety of L-glutamine in patients battling pancreatic cancer, an area of significant unmet medical need. This option agreement follows the results of the GlutaPanc trial (NCT04634539), recently published in Nature Cancer.
“We are incredibly proud to explore the broader potential of our therapies,” said Willis Lee, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Emmaus Life Sciences. “While Emmaus has historically been recognized for our breakthrough treatment in sickle cell disease, we believe that this agreement represents an important step in exploring new options for patients with pancreatic cancer.”
PDAC is the most common type of pancreatic cancer and is notoriously difficult to treat, often presenting with late-stage diagnoses and limited therapeutic options. The collaboration with Cedars-Sinai researchers leverages the institution’s premier oncological research capabilities alongside Emmaus’ expertise in drug development for orphan diseases.
The safety and efficacy of L-glutamine for the treatment of PDAC have not been established. There is no guarantee that L-glutamine will receive regulatory approval for this investigational use.
